Neck-yoke.



T. WILLIAMS.

v NECK YOKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1913.-

wama ssas Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

lNVENTOR ATTORNEY THOMAS WILLI Ms, or GALE, ARKANSAS.

N CK-YOKE.

To all wkom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, Trronas VVILLIAMs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cale, in the county of Nevadaand State of Arkansas, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Neck-Yokes, of

which; the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to materially lessen the work on a team of horses harnessed to a vehicle in the usual manner through the intervention of a pole or tongue and a neck yoke.

In the usual way of hitching a team of horses to a vehicle having a pole or tongue, a neck yoke is employed and has connection with the tip of the pole or tongue in a manner to provide relatively longitudinal movement of the neck yoke, hence the animals being coupled to each other and to the pole or tongue by means of the neck yoke, are subjected to side thrust and jerks incident to the lateral play of the pole or tongue by the movement of the front axle when the vehicle is traveling over rough ground.

The purpose of this invention is to yieldably connect the neck yoke with the pole or tongue so that shock incident to side thrust is compensated for, thereby preventing the shock being transmitted to the animals which is a source of discomfort, thereby adding materially to the work and causing the animals frequently to become fretted.

The invention consists of a yieldable connection between the pole ring and opposite ends of the neck yoke whereby side thrust and jerk of the pole or tongue is neutralized.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a neck yoke embodyin the nvention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line *22 of F ig.- 1 showing the parts on a larger scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in both views of the drawings by like reference characters. 7

The numeral 1 designates a neck yoke which ma be of any construction commonly Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 22, 1918. Application filed March 2, 1918. Serial Nb. 220,005.

employed for the hitching of a team of draft animals to a vehicle having a pole or tongue.

The numeral 2 designates the rings generally provided at the ends of the neck yoke for receiving the straps, chains, or other connecting means between the collars or breast straps and the neck yoke. The ends of the neck yoke are provided with the usual metal tips 3 to which the rings 2 are connected in a manner well understood.

A ring 4 is disposed centrally of the neck yoke and is designed to receive the tip or forward end of the pole or tongue of the vehicle. In accordance with the present invention, the ring 4 is yieldably connected to the neck yoke so as to neutralize shock and other like movement tending to produce'a jerk or sudden endwise movement of the neck yoke, and which generally results in fretting the animals and adding to their work. In accordance with the invention, two helical springs 5 and 6 are mounted upon opposite end portions of the neck yoke and are connected at their outer ends to the extremities of the neck yoke in any desired way, the inner ends of such springs being loose and attached to the pole ring 4 in any manner. As indicated in Fig. 1, the springs 5 and 6 are of the open type. 2'. 6., the convolutions are spaced apart. hence both springs act jointly in neutralizing the shock, one spring by expansion. and the o her spring by contraction and vice versa. The inner or opposing ends of the springs 5 and 6 are looped about the ring 4. hence the latter is free to move in the usual manner. and in addition has a relative movement lengthwise of the neck yoke against the combined tension of the two springs 5 and 6.

In practice. the neck yoke is positioned in the manner well understood. the forward end of the pole or tongue being engaged with the ring 4 and the collars or breast straps being connected to the rings 2. It will thus be understood that lateral swaying of the pole or tongue at its forward end' tends to move the ring 4 lengthwise of the neck yoke against the tension of the springs 5 and 6, and such springs neutralize the resultant jerk. thereby relieving the animals of the annoyance commonly experienced which tends to fret and increase or add materially to the work.

mat I claim is:

1. A neck yoke having helical springs mounted upon opposite end portions thereof with their convohitions spaced apart, and a pole ring connecting the inner or opposing ends of the springs and attached to the neck yoke thereby, said spring serving to neutralize shock and having their outer ends attached to the extremities of the neck yoke.

2. A neck yoke provided at its ends with the usual rings for attachment therewith of the breast strap or collar connections, expensihle helical springs mounted on opposite end portions or the neck yoke and having their outer ends connected to the ex- Copies of this patent may be obtained for treinities thereof and a pole ring having the inner or opposing'ends of the springs attached thereto, said springs forming connecting means between the neck yoke and pole ring and in turn serving to unitedly compensate for and neutralize shock. 1

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS WILLIAMS. Witnesses J. L. Dic inson, 5. Q. Mime five cents each, by addressing the commences? of retain,

Washington, 1?. G. 

